Suction cleaner



Feb. 1, 1938. E SNYDER 2,107,016

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Oct. 26, 1935 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 1, 1938 SUOTION CLEANER Eugene L. Snyder, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application october ze, i935, serial No. 46,858

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularly to-new and novel improvements in illuminating means in a suction cleaner. More specifically the invention comprises a suction cleaner in which the height-indicating means include an illuminated dial.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is another object of the invention to provide new and improved nozzle-height-indicating means in a suction cleaner. A still further object is the provision of nozzle-height-indicating means in a suction cleaner which include an illuminated dial. A still further object is the provision in a suction cleaner of illuminating means which function to illuminate the floor covering forward of the suction nozzle and also to illuminate the height-indicating means. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims, and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed:

Figure l is aside elevation of a modern suction cleaner lembodying the present invention, certain parts being broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is a partial top view shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a section upon the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section upon the line 4-4 of 35 Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a section upon the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring again to the drawing, a modern suction cleaner is illustrated in which the nozzle is indicated by the reference character I, the fan chamber by the reference character 2, the interconnecting air passageway therebetween by the reference character 3, the exhaust outlet by the reference character 4, and the dust bag attached to the latter by the reference character 5. Within the cleaner casing which forms the nozzle, the fan chamber and the air passageway together with the exhaust outlet is positioned a motor 6 which drives a suction-creating fan I within the fan chamber 2. The cleaner is movably supported upon front wheels 8 and upon rearvwheels 9, only one of each being shown, and as in the usual cleaner a pivoted handle I0 is provided by which the operator can propel the machine.

lof the cleaner (ci. 24o- 2) To aid and assist the operator in directing the cleaner over a supporting surface covering the casing is provided immediately above the nozzle I with a forwardly facing opening which is closed by a transparent plate or window II which is surrounded and seated by a resilient guard'. member I2 adapted to contact articles of furniture, etc., and to protect the window II therefrom. Immediately in the rear of window I I is mounted an'electric light I3 in a suitable socket I4 which is connected to a source of electric current in any suitable manner. A reflector I5 encircles the inner side of the lamp I3 and directs the light rays therefrom forwardly through the opening or window II. Reflector I5 is'provided with a slot or aperture I6 in its rear face near the top for a purpose which will be hereinafter disclosed.

The nozzle I of the machine must be adjusted to various heights above a lsupporting surface covering dependent upon the thickness and stiffness of that covering. To make this adjustment possiblethe front wheels 8, 8 are mounted upon the oset outer crank arms of a shaft I I which is also provided with a central crank portion I8. From this central crank portion I8 a vertical shaft I9 extends upwardly into screw threaded relationship with an internally threaded bore 20 of a manually adjustable knob 2|. Knob 2I is seated within a recess 22 in the top surface of the cleaner casing substantially flush with the surface thereof, being provided with a central web 23 to enable an operator to manipulate the knob with his lingers. The manual rotation of knob 2l results in the raising or lowering of vertical shaft I! by the cooperation of the threaded bore 20 with its threaded uppei end. This vertical movement of the shaft causes the wheel shaft I1 to be pivoted and the wheels 8 to beraised or lowered.

It is desirable that the operator be able to determine the height of his nozzle without the necessity for turning the machine over or actually examining the relationship ofthe nozzle to the covering. According to the present invention, height-indicating means are provided to indicate the nozzleadjustment. Seated in the central opening of the recess 22 and extending downwardly therefrom, in spaced telescopic relationship to the internally threaded portion of knob 2|, is a sleeve 25 formed with a flange at its lower end. Rotatably seated upon sleeve 25 and carried by the flange at its lower end is an annular indicator sleeve 26 which is formed with a cam slot 21 and carries a projecting indicating arm 28 which extends at the side of recess 22 and above the reflector Il. Immediately above the end of indicator 28, and also above the opening Il in light reflector Il, isa translucent dial 29 upon which are positioned the letters L, "M", and H, indicating low, medium. high. Indicator 28 is visible through dial 2l and light rays from the lamp Il passing through aperture Il in reflector Il throw the reection of the indicating arm 2l upon the dialto indicate its position relative to the letters L, M, and "H". In the manual adjustment of theheight-indicating means the indicator is moved relative to the dial 2i by the action of a rigid finger 2l which is carried by the vertical shaft Il and which extends upwardly and into the cam slot 21 in indicator sleeve 2l. As finger 3| moves up and down with shaft Ii, and so relative to indicator sleeve 28, it causes that sleeve to rotate as it slides in the slot 21.

In the operation of the cleaner the electric light Il is connected to a source of current and light rays pass through the transparent window I I and downwardly across the nozzle and on through the surface covering undergoing cleaning to enable the operator to determine more accurately the presence or absence of foreign material.v Light rays also pass from the lamp il upwardly through aperture I6 and past indicator 2l and on into translucent dial 2l, casting a shadow of the indicator 20l thereon. The operator is enabled to glance at the indicator and dial, which lie in a horizontal plane, and to determine at once the height of his nozzle relative tothe surface covering undergoing cleaning. If the indicator 2l indicates the nozzle is low the operator need only turn the knob 2| causing the reflection of indicator 2l to move towards the letter "M or "H which indicate medium or high adjustment.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a casing, means movably supporting said casing, means to adjust said supporting means to raise and lower said casing 2. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a wheeled casing, having a nozzle, means for vertically adjusting said casing to vary the heightof said nozzle above the floor surface, a visual indicator associated with said height adjusting means and comprising a dial of translucent material ybearing opaque height indicating symbols thereon and a movable pointer, an electric lamp mounted on said casing, an enclosure for said lamp having a window for directing the light therefrom on to a prescribed area of the door surface in front of said nozzle and an aperture directed toward said dial through which light from said lamp is thrown onto said dial from beneath to illuminate the same.

3. In a'suction cleaner, the combination of a casing having a nozzle, means for adjusting the height of said nozzle relative to the floor surface and including an indicator comprising a dial of transparent material fitting into an aperture in the top wall of said casing with opaque symbols thereon. and a pointer adapted to coact with said indicating symbols, said casing being provided with a lamp housing below said indicator dial and having a forwardly directed light opening and an vaperture substantially in vertical alignment with said indicator` dial, and a lamp mounted in said housing.

EUGENE L. SNYDER.' 

